The present invention relates generally to headwear, and more particularly to a cap having a protective see-through section.
During certain wintertime activities, such as skiing and snowboarding, a goggle is worn over a typically woolen hat or cap to allow the wearer to see while protecting his eyes from snow, rain, ice and the like. The goggle is typically strapped around the back of the head to retain the goggle in place. In many cases, a gap may exist between the goggle and hat which permits wind, rain, debris or snow to reach the wearer's eyes. These gaps may be present on the sides of the goggle where the goggle rests against the hat, at the top of the goggle where it contacts the lower brim of the hat, or at the lower perimeter of the goggle where it rests on the wearer's cheek bones. These openings may cause discomfort, or, in extreme cases, even frostbite
It is also desirable that a sufficient degree of warmth be provided to the wearer's face. To this end, many skiers wear a ski mask or a neck warmer over the mouth, cheekbones and nose, underneath the goggle. This prevents the goggle from fitting properly against the face, and also allows the wearer's breath to be trapped inside the mask and goggle, thereby condensing and fogging the interior lens of the goggle.
The conventional arrangement of cap and protective goggle thus does not allow for an effective joining of the two, nor does it provide reliable protection for the wearer's upper face and head when they are worn together. It is also inconvenient requiring that the hat and goggle both be separately carried and stored, often leading the ski enthusiast to misplace one or the other. There thus exists a need for a one-piece adjustable head and eye protective covering for use particularly in winter sports and other outdoor activities. There is also a need for a hat that is convertible for use at different weather conditions at different times of the year. These needs have long been recognized as evidenced by the numerous prior attempts to achieve a better cap and goggle arrangement that are described in numerous prior patents.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 768,276 discloses a face mask attached inside of a cap which folds down over the eyes. This design, however, is effective only when the hat fits the wearer's head with a near exact fit. The mask is not adjustable to conform to the unique features of the wearer's face.
U.S. Pat. No. 798,877 discloses a cap having multiple positions with a mask embedded into the fabric. To position the cap to a different position, the wearer must remove the cap and unfold the hat to allow the goggle to cover the eyes. This may prove to many to be a relatively complicated and time-consuming process. In addition, when the goggle is tucked away, its outer lens is exposed to the wearer's hair, allowing for hair gel and similar materials to contaminate the lens and degrade its clarity and transparency. The mask-cap disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 164,573 includes a skirt having mouth and eye openings with a protective shield over the latter. The construction is relatively complex and costly to manufacture and is not readily adjustable for different head sizes and shapes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,918,753; 3,262,125; and 6,845,548 disclose a goggle attached by a strap and various mechanical mechanisms to a helmet. The goggle is movable between an up position when not in use and a down position when in use. The goggle can be physically removed from the helmet and can thus be misplaced. Gaps are present at those sites at which the goggle contacts the face, thereby allowing wind, rain and snow to reach the wearer's face and eyes.
Patent Pub. No. 2006/0117450 discloses a goggle attached to a head cover in which the goggle-like strap is secured to the head cover by means of Velcro. As in the earlier-described prior designs, the goggle is readily separable from the head cover and can thus be misplaced. Moreover, the Velcro attachment can wear out over time, so that the goggle may unexpectedly become detached from the head cover, thereby creating a possibly dangerous condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,147 discloses a relatively complex one-piece headwear construction in which an adjustable lens is attached to a headband. The goggle portion of the lens may be positioned up or down. This headwear item does not provide warmth to the wearer's face and fails to fully cover the upper part of the face and head at the same time, thereby leaving openings for debris, wind, rain and snow to contact the wearer's face. Furthermore, the adjustment of the goggle portion can alter the fit of the main headband portion, thereby to create an uncomfortable wearing experience.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,280 discloses a one-piece complex mechanical device for attaching an adjustable goggle portion to a headband to allow the adjustable lens to be moved up and down. In this construction it is difficult to readily remove the lens portion without taking apart the hinge mechanism, which makes it difficult to clean the material of the headband.